Had a beautiful sunny day to cycle today. Too bad this sickness is kicking my butt and there's limited power to push me up the hills. Poor Brian is puttering along with his slow wife as she's sweating and heaving without going anywhere. Biggest insult was when he offered to give me a tow...I tried to step it up a notch after that.

Finally, after weeks of travel, I've seen my FIRST potato field. I was beginning to wonder

where we were traveling! Cycling through some beautiful farmland again with smells filling the air. Last night's rain mixed with this morning's sun gave new fresh smells with each inhalation. Small narrow roads with no room to pass. But nothing to worry, this is the type of place where when you meet another vehicle you just stop, get out, and have a chat with the other driver for awhile. A place where old men with 17 1/2 yr old dogs named Lucy talk with you for 1/2 hr in the park and invite you home for coffee.

A place where old churches and castles rise out of the ivy with no names or explanations. To date, this is our favourite castle to explore yet. When first approaching, 98% was hidden from view by thick ivy and it didn't seem very impressive at all. But around the corner when I crept around the 'Dangerous Building Do Not Enter' sine, squeezed through the small hole in the barbed wire, and carefully tip-toed around the

stinging nettle I emerged into an enchanted world of imagination. Who built this? What went on? Why was it abandoned? Wishing we had more time and information, but knowing that the lack-there-of made it more mysterious, we dragged ourselves away with backward glances. But is was made slightly easier as we knew that there was a church just down the way waiting to be explored...

Somehow we made it to our destination after all the distractions along the way. Now we knew that there were no campgrounds marked in the vicinity, but were hoping that the tourist information might have something else to say. Unfortunately, we had been right. Not willing to cycle another 40km at 4pm in my present state, we decided to stay in a B&B. Such luxuries of tiny soaps, soft towels, heated room, and pillows! I just hope we'll be able to return to camping after this (sorry, Barb, our air mattresses were more comfortable than the beds :) ). Will still be sleeping well tonight and enjoying a break from the damp night air on my poor lungs.